Washing and hydroextracting machine



Filed May 25, 1960 United States Patent Ofifice 3,062,031 Patented Nov. 6, 1952 3,062,031 WASHING AND HYDROEXTRACTHQG MACHINE Franz Balik, Prager Strasse 124, Vienna XXL Austria Filed May 25, 1960, Ser. No. 31,628 (Ilaims priority, application Austria May 30, 1959 7 Claims. (Cl. 68-23) This invention relates to a washing and hydroextracting machine comprising a drum which is rotatable about a vertical axis and in which a coaxial screen drum having a small radial clearance from, and arranged for rotation with, the first-mentioned drum is disposed and adapted to receive the clothes; this washing machine is suitable for washing and hydroextracting the clothes without need for removing the clothes from the machine between these operations.

It is an object of the invention to enable the clothes to be washed in a particularly conserving manner without subjecting the same to any mechanical stress by moved parts, particularly by rotating parts. For this purpose it has already been proposed (see Austrian patent specification No. 192,882) to provide reversing means for effecting a periodic change in the pump-induced flow of the washing liquor in the washing vessel. To this end a rotary control member was used, which is operated by the washing liquor itself and supplies the liquid to the washing vessel at different points, in succession.

It has been recognized, however, that the periodically changing supply of the washing liquor to several predetermined points is not always sufficient to obtain the desired washing effect and that it would be more desirable to supply and discharge the washing liquor alternatingly through the entire screen wall. According to the invention this is accomplished in that an automatic, positively acting lift or slide valve control means is provided, which in conjunction with pumping means causes the washing liquor to flow in short intervals of time alternatively into the space between the screen drum and the rotating drum and from there into the interior of the screen drum and in the opposite direction from the interior of the screen drum outwardly into a reservoir provided in the machine housing. It is suitable to provide the rotating drum at its lower part, which is immersed into the washing liquor, with radial impeller blades to constitute pump means, which pumps the washing liquor through the controlling lift valve or slide valve into the interior of the screen drum.

Thus the washing liquor permeates the clothes in short intervals of time in both directions. By the continual flow of the washing liquor through the clothes the particles of dirt are loosened up, dissolved and discharged. This process will not impose mechanical stresses on the clothes so that the same are conserved. The washing machine serves also as a hydroextractor. For this purpose the water is drained and the supply of fresh water is stopped after the rinsing operation which is carried out just as the washing but with the supply and discharge of fresh water.

A separate pump could be provided to pump the washing liquor into the rotating screen drum. One of the special advantages of the machine according to the invention is due to the fact that the rotating drums comprise parts of two pumps, which in conjunction with the control by the lift valve or slide valve means cause the washing liquor to flow along predetermined paths.

The controlling mechanism for the washing liquor may be designed in different ways. E.g., it may consist of two plate valves, which are inwardly and outwardly disposed relative to the vertical drum axis and which are alternatingly opened and closed, the inner valve enabling the supply of the washing liquor to the screen drum under fit the action' of the pump means and the outer valve enabling the discharge of the washing liquor fromthe rotating drum in the outward direction under the action of centrifugal force. It is also possible, however, to provide in known manner a slide valve control means, which comprises at least one rotary valve consisting of a three-way cock.

For driving the rotating drum and the screen drum a vertical hollow shaft is provided, which is disposed below the drum and through which a control shaft for driving the cam-controlled valves or the rotary valves extends; the speed of the control shaft may be lower than that of the hollow shaft, if desired.

The rotating drum is suitably enclosed in a stationary, outer double-walled shell, which communicates at its top and bottom through flow passages with the interior of the rotating drum. This ensures the circulation of the washing or rinsing liquid.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention will be explained more fully hereinafter with reference to the drawing in which this embodiment is shown in a vertical sectional view.

The washing and hydroextracting machine comprises a frame 1, which carries a stationary, cylindrical doublewalled shell 2. This shell consists of the walls 2a, 2b and is provided with a water inlet 3 and a water outlet 4. A rotating screen drum 5 inserted in the double-walled shell 2 is enclosed in a drum 6 rotating at the same speed. Between the bottom 7 of the screen drum and the downwardly tapering, conical bottom 8 of the rotating drum 6, a space 9 is defined, which communicates through an opening 10 with the interior ll of the outer double walled shell. The liquid contained in the double-walled shell can enter the space 9 at any time. The bottom 8 of the rotating drum 6 is provided with a plurality of radially extending blades 12, which form an impeller or fan wheel with this part of the drum 6.

Centrally in the interior space of the machine a hollow body 13 is disposed, which enables a favorable distribution of the clothes placed into the machine and ensures that the clothes lie close to the screen wall. Below the hollow body 13 a camwheel 14 is mounted, which is driven by a vertical control shaft 15. The latter extends through a hollow shaft 16, which serves for driving the rotary drum 6 and the screen drum 5. Both shafts are surrounded by a sleeve 17. A bearing 18 with stufiing-boxes carries the rotating parts.

At least two double-valves 19, 20 are arranged below the screen bottom and through horizontal valve rods 21, 22 are connected to the control surface of the camwheel 14 in the interior of the hollow body 13. In the open position the two inner valves 19 open a flow path from the space 9 between the two bottoms 7 and 8 to the space 24 between the screen drum and the rotating drum. As soon as the rotation of the drum 6 begins, the washing liquid contained in the space 9 passes through the perforated wall of the screen drum 5 into the interior thereof and permeates the clothes contained therein. When the valves 19 are closed and the valves 20 are opened, the washing liquor flows under the action or centrifugal force from the interior of the screen drum 5 through the wall of the drum 6 outwardly and through a vertical channel 23 arranged on the drum shell upwardly into an annular hollow body 26 and from the latter through a gap 27 into the interior of the double-walled shell 2. The washing liquor filled into this double-walled shell up to the level of the mark 28 had already flown into the inner space 9 when the valves 19 were opened.

Then the valves 26 are closed and the valves 19 are opened so that the circulating washing liquor continually permeates the clothes. As the valves are intentionally opened and closed quickly, the washing liquor is caused to permeate the clothes in surges. Any froth which has been formed may return into the double-walled shell 2 through an annular opening 2).

The valves may be operated e.g., seven times a minute. To accomplish this, a camwheel having only one cam must make seven turns per minute less than the drum 6. To accomplish this the drive motor, not shown, is provided with two V-belt pulleys, which drive the drive shaft 16 and the control shaft 15 and are so dimensioned that the desired difference in speeds is achieved.

After the washing operation the washing liquor is replaced by fresh Water, which is continuously supplied and dischanged. This results in a thorough and quick rinsing or the clothes. When the water inlet is closed whereas the drain cock 4 remains open the machine will function as a hydroextractor without need for complicated control mechanisms. For this reason the machine is hardly susceptible to trouble and owing to its relatively simple construction can be manufactured at low costs. The machine is provided with heating means for the washing liquor in known manner and may be also suitable for dyeing textiles.

What I claim is:

1. A washing and hydroextracting machine, which cOrnprises an outer drum mounted for rotation about a vertical axis, a screen drum coaxially mounted in said outer drum for rotation therewith and defining a radial clearance space with said outer drum and adapted to contain clothes, a machine housing containing said drums and defining an outer reservoir adapted to contain washing liquor, said outer drum having a lower portion arranged to be normally immersed in said washing liquor and carrying radial impeller blades constituting pump means operable to pump washing liquor from said reservoir into said radial clearance space, and positively acting, automatic valve means operable to cause washing liquor to flow in short intervals of time alternatively from said reservoir to said radial clearance space and further into the interior of said screen drum and reversely from the interior of said screen drum into said reservoir.

2. A washing and hydroextracting machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said screen drum comprises a bottom and said valve means are arranged in said outer drum below said bottom.

3. A washing and hydroextracting machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said valve means comprise at least one inner plate valve which is relatively inwardly disposed with respect to said vertical axis and at least one outer plate valve which is relatively outwardly disposed with respect to said vertical axis, said inner valve being arranged to control the flow of the washing liquor to the screen drum under the action of said pump means and said outer valve being arranged to control the discharge of washing liquor from the outer drum under the action of centrifugal force.

4. A machine as set forth in claim 3, which comprises a vertical hollow shaft disposed below said outer drum and operable to drive said outer drum and screen drum, and a control shaft extending through said hollow shaft and driving said valve means.

5. A washing and hydroextracting machine as set forth in claim 1, in which said housing comprises a doublewalled shell surrounding said outer drum and defining said reservoir and communicating at vertically spaced points with the interior of said outer drum.

6. A washing and hydroextracting machine as set forth in claim 1, which comprises at least one conduit disposed on the outside of said outer drum and extending parallel to said vertical axis and having a lower end controlled by said valve means and an upper end communicating with said reservoir said conduit constituting pump means for pumping liquid from said outer drum into said reservoir.

7. A washing and hydroextracting machine as set forth in claim 6, which comprises means defining an annular space surrounding the upper part of the outer drum and communicating with said reservoir, said upper end of said conduit opening into said annular space.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

